Magnetic target games



Feb. 23, 1965 w. FELSHER MAGNETIC TARGET- GAMES Filed Dec. 18, 1962 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,170,693 p L MAGNETIC TARGET GAMES William Felsher, 8512 Fayette St, Philadelphia 50, Pa. Filed Dec. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 245,454 4 Claims. (Cl. 273102.2)

This invention pertains to magnetic target games. More particularly, it pertains to magnetic target games comprising airborne projectiles and paramagnetic target boards wherein signals are activated by magnetic fields emanating from a magnet in the projectile.

Dart games wherein the players skill is tested by his accuracy in placing a projectile on a target, such as a dart board, have long been popular. More recently, it has been recognized that the combination of a magnetic dart and a paramagnetic target board offers an interesting adaptation of the traditional dart game. However, particularlyin the field of childrens toys, it is desirable that some signal be associated with particular areas of the target to make the game more interesting.

The prior art devices, while recognizing this desideratum, have failed to take full advantage of the inherent characteristics and properties of magnets in order to achieve these ends. Thus, in US. Patent No. 2,645,491 the magnet is used to close a switch which, in turn, activates a signal. However, it is the impact bf the projectile which actually closes the switch and the magnetic field associated with the projectile is used only to magnetize the strike plate and hold it against the face of the target board. Similarly, US. Patent No. 2,863,665 discloses the use of a magnetic projectile to physically complete an electrical circuit and relies upon the magnet only as a conductor of electricity for activating the signal. necessity, both of these prior patents provide target boards, the fronts of which contain wires, plates and other protuberances which adversely affect the aesthetics of the dart board target and also provide irregularities and suddent changes in contour which tend toprevent the projectile from adhering to the surface of the board.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a magnetic target game whereinthe target board has a smooth and aesthetically pleasing surface.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a magnetic target game wherein the location at which the projectile becomes afiixed to the target board is indicated by signal means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a magnetic target game wherein signal means are activated solely by the lines of magnetic force emanating from a magnet in the projectile.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a target board for a magnetic target game which contains air gaps through which the magnetic field emanating from a projectile adhering to the front of the board passes through the board to activate magnetically responsive switches behind the board.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a target board wherein the presence of projectiles in delineated areas is indicated by signal means such as lights, bells, buzzers, chimes and other similar visual oraudible devices.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a paramagnetic target board which is itself used as a portion of an electrical circuit for activating signal means 'ice , which operate when a projectile attaches in a predetermined location.

' Other objects of this invention are to provide an improved magnetic target game of the character described which is sturdy in construction, extremely economical to produce, light in weight and highly eflicient in operation.

These and other related objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart from a consideration of the description which follows. The various features and details of construction of the invention are more fully set forth herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 represents a perspective view of a magnetic target game of the invention showing a projectile in flight as it approaches the target board.

FIGURE 2 represents a fragmentary section taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1 and shows a typical switch of the invention in its normally-open position.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of the switch of FIG- UR-E 2 shown in association with an affixed airborne projectile, and in closed position.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section taken along line 4+4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a wiring diagram representative of circuits which may-be used in connection with the invention.

Turning now to the'details of the invention as shown in the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts, it will be observed by reference to FIGURE 1 that the invention comprises an airborne projectile A, a paramagnetic target board, generally designated B, and signal means thereon, generally designated C. p

The projectile A includes a permanent magnet portion 10 and stabilizers 11. The airborne projectiles themselves are well known in the prior art and a suitable projectile is described in US. Patent No. 2,477,531. Depending upon the exact nature of the target board, magnet 10 may be required to produce more or less oersteds for a given design. This is easily accomplished, by anyone skilled in the art, using as variables the size of the magnet and materials of construction. Suitable magnetic materials for use in the projectile include, for instance, iron, nickel, cobalt, the Heusler alloys, ceramic magnets, mixtures and alloys thereof and like materials.

The target board B has a front 12 and a rear 13. The front 12, 'as is customary with target boards, is divided into a plurality of areas 14, 15, 16 and 17 which are delineated in a manner to visually distinguishfrom each other. As shown in FIGURE 1, the areas 15, 16 and 17 are annular, being concentric about bulls-eye area 14. Obviously, the shape, size, designation and relative location of these delineated areas are immaterial for purposes of the invention.

Each of the delineated areas contains at least one associated air gap designated by the suffix a (e.g. 14a, 15a, 16a and 17a) as shown in FIGURES l to 3 inclusive. The air gaps extend through the board from front 12 to rear 13. It is preferred that the effective diameter of the various air gaps be less than the effective diameter of magnet 10 thus affording no possibility that the magnet may penetrate board B. Penetration is not necessary since no utilization is made of the impact or momentum of projectile A.

Positioned behind each of the air gaps and mounted on the rear of the board is an associated magnetically polarized steel ribbons, enclosed in a glass envelope through which electrical leads are conducted, which ribbons are normally spaced apart but which move into electrical contact under the influence of a magnetic field of force. Such switches are described in the 1961-62 E.E.M. Catalogue published by Tech. Publishers Inc. of Hempstead, N.Y. on page 1462 thereof. Thus, the switch which will now be described and which is shown in the figures is merely exemplary.

As shown in the drawings, switch 17b includes a spring blade 18 which is generally rectangular in cross-section and which spans gap 17a. The blade is made of paramagnetic material (e.g. 0.005 steel shim stock) so that it is responsive to a field of magnetic force. It is normally spaced apart from the rear of board B by insulator 19 and is held in place against the rear of the board by a bracket 20, which is also made of electrically insulative material. Bracket 20 is, in turn, afiixed to the board. Blade 18 further includes a terminal portion 21, beyond the gap 17a, which is adapted to make electrical contact with the rear.

In FIGURE 2, which represents the normally-open position, portion 21 is out of contact with the rear of the board whereas, in FIGURE 3, representing the closed position, it will be noted that portion 21 is in contact with the rear of board B, being drawn thereto by magnet 10. Althoughnot necessary for operation of the switch, increased sensitivity may be imparted thereto by the provision of an intermediate notched portion 22. The notch in portion 22 is preferably V-shaped in cross-section with the apex 23 extending toward the front of the board. In the closed position, as best shown in FIGURE 3, the apex extends into the gap 17a. The total depth of notched portion 22 should not exceed the thickness of the board since, in closed position, it is not particularly desirable to have the apex 23 act as a protuberance. Blade 18 is electrically connected to the circuit, which will be described below, by a wire 24. Terminal portion 21 completes the circuits when it contacts the rear of the target board.

As shown in FIGURES 2 to 4, the rear of the board may be provided with a highly conductive coating 26, having a greater conductivity (i.e. lower resistivity) than the paramagnetic material of which the board itself is fabricated. For instance, coating 26 may be tin plating and, to decrease resistivity, portion 21 may be cadmium plated or vice-versa. As will be subsequently explained, coating 26 forms an integral part of the electrical circuit exemplified in FIGURE but it is equally apparent that a wired terminal may be provided with which portion 21 makes contact on closure and a lead, similar to 24, may be connected thereto.

The target board has mounted on it signal means C associated with each delineated area. These are indicated with the sufiix c on FIGURE 1 and are diagrammatically represented there. As shown, a signal 14c is associated with bulls-eye area 14-. This particular signal may take the form of a bell or buzzer. Each of areas 15, 16 and 17 has associated with it signal means 150, 16c and 170, respectively, which may well take the form of differently colored lights. As is apparent, closure of switch 17b causes operation of signal 17c and so forth.

The operating circuit is exemplified in FIGURE 5. The circuit includes a source of electrornotive force 27 which may be any conventional alternating or direct current source, preferably a dry cell. The circuit utilizes a Relating the circuit diagram to FIGURES 2 to 4 in-.

elusive, the grounded side of each switch would be represented by that area of the target board which is contacted by terminal portion 21. Conductors, such as 24, connect the other side of switches 14b, 15b, 16b and 17b to their respective signal means 140, 15c, 16c and 170. The switches, in those areas where a plurality are provided, are connected in parallel so that closure of any one of them will activate the signal means associated with that particular designated and delineated area. A wire such as 28 connects the ungrounded side of E.M.F. source 2.7 to the various signal means and is common to all of them. It is thus obvious that upon closure of any switch its associated signal means is activated with current flowing from the source of through the signal means and switch in series and thence to a common ground which is shared by source 27.

The opertion of the invention is postulated as follows: Projectile A, upon striking paramagnetic target B, is held thereon and afiixed thereto by the magnetic field of force which emanates from magnet 10. This field of force, in areas where no magnetic air gap is provided, is disseminated and spread throughout the target board so that no appreciable magnetic field exists behind the board in the vicinity of the magnet. However, when the projectile attaches with its magnet 10 either straddling one of the air gaps, or in close proximity thereto, the magnetic field emanating from magnet 10 is only partially utilized to retain the projectile against paramagnetic target board B. It also furnishes a magnetic field which goes through the air gap emerging at the rear of target board B and serving to close the magnetically responsive switching means.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction disclosed herein but is capable of other modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A magnetic target game comprising at least one airborne projectile, including a permanent magnet portion adapted to strike and be retained on a paramagnetic target; a paramagnetic target board having a front and an electrically conductive rear; a plurality of areas on the front delineated in a manner to visually distinguish from each other; at least one magnetic air gap in each delineated area extending through said board from front to rear, the effective diameter of said gap being less than the effective diameter of said permanent magnet portion; a paramagnetic spring blade spanning each of said gaps, normally spaced from and electrically insulated from the rear of said board but including a terminal portion beyond the gap adapted to make electrical contact with said rear, said blade also including a shaped intermediate portion extending toward said board, proximate said air gap, which shaped portion enters into and is encompassed by said air gap when said blade is attracted to the board by lines of magnetic force passing through said gap; and an electrical circuit associated with each delineated area including the spring blade behind said area, a source of electromotive force, the rear of said board, and signal means; said projectile, when magnetically held on the front of said board proximate a magnetic air gap, providing a magnetic field of force passing therethrough which draws said intermediate portion of the blade into the air gap and said terminal portion of the blade into contact with the rear of said board to activate the signal means associated with the delineated area in which said air gap is located.

2. The target gamerof claim 1 wherein said intermediate blade portion is shaped to provide a' notch of generally V-shaped cross section, the depth of which does not exceed the thickness of the board.

3. The target game of claim 2 wherein a common source of electrornotive force is used to" operate all of said signal means.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 474,847 10/52 Italy.

4. The target game of claim 1'wherein, further, the 10 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MAGNET TARGET GAME COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE AIRBORNE PROJECTILE, INCLUDING A PERMANENT MAGNET PORTION ADAPTED TO STRIKE AND BE RETAINED ON A PARAMAGNETIC TARGET; A PARAMAGNETIC TARGET BOARD HAVING A FRONT AND AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE REAR; A PLURALITY OF AREAS ON THE FRONT DILINEATED IN A MANNER TO VISUALLY DISTINGUISH FROM EACH OTHER; AT LEAST ONE MAGNETIC AIR GAP IN EACH DELINEATED AREA EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BOARD FROM FRONT TO REAR, THE EFFECTIVE DIAMETER OF SAID GAP BEING LESS THAN THE EFFECTIVE DIAMETER OF SAID PERMANENT MAGNET PORTION; A PARAMAGNETIC SPRING BLADE SPANNING EACH OF SAID GAPS, NORMALLY SPACED FROM AND ELECTRICALLY INSULATED FROM THE REAR OF SAID BOARD BUT INCLUDING A TERMINAL PORTION BEYOND THE GAP ADAPTED TO MAKE ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITH SAID REAR, SAID BLADE ALSO INCLUDING A SHAPED INTERMEDIATE PORTION EXTENDING TOWARD SAID BOARD, PROXIMATE SAID AIR GAP, WHICH SHAPED PORTION ENTERS INTO AND IS ENCOMPASSED BY SAID AIR GAP WHEN SAID BLADE IS ATTRACTED TO THE BOARD BY LINES OF MAGNETIC FORCE PASSING THROUGH SAID GAP; AND AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT ASSOCIATED WITH EACH DELINEATED AREA INCLUDING THE SPRING BLADE BEHIND SAID AREA, A SOURCE OF ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE, THE REAR OF SAID BOARD, AND SIGNAL MEANS; SAID PROJECTILE, WHEN MAGNETICALLY HELD ON THE FRONT OF SAID PROXIMATE A MAGNETIC AIR GAP, PROVIDING A MAGNETIC FIELD OF FORCE PASSING THERETHROUGH WHICH DRAWS SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF THE BLADE INTO THE AIR GAP AND SAID TERMINAL PORTION OF THE BLADE INTO CONTACT WITH THE REAR OF SAID BOARD TO ACTIVATE THE SIGNAL MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DELINEATED AREA IN WHICH SAID AIR GAP IS LOCATED. 